ENH657 Pongamia pinnata: Pongam1 Edward F. Gilman, Dennis G. Watson, Ryan W. Klein, Andrew K. Koeser, Deborah R. Hilbert, and Drew C. McLean2 Introduction Pongam is a fast-growing evergreen tree which reaches 40 feet in height wit up to a 55-foot spread, forming a broad, spreading canopy casting moderate shade. The six- to nine-inch-long, pinnately compound, shiny dark green leaves are briefly deciduous, dropping for just a short period of time in early spring but being quickly replaced by new growth. Pongam is at its finest in the spring when the showy, hanging clusters of white, pink, or lavender, pea-like, fragrant blossoms appear, the clusters up to 10 inches long. These beautiful blossoms and the glossy, nearly-evergreen leaves help make pongam a favorite for use as a specimen, shade, or windbreak. It has also been planted as a street tree, but dropping pods often litter the ground. However, the seeds which are contained within the oval, 1 ¼-2-inch- long, brown seedpods are poisonous, a fact which should be considered in placing the tree in the landscape, if many children are present. General Information Scientific name: Millettia pinnata Pronunciation: mil-LET-ee-uh pih-NAY-tuh Common name(s): Pongam, Karum tree, poonga-oil tree Family: Fabaceae USDA hardiness zones: 10B through 11 (Figure 2) Figure 1. Full Form - Millettia pinnata: pongam Credits: UF/IFAS 1. This document is ENH657, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 1993. Revised December 2018. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication. 2. Edward F. Gilman, professor emeritus, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, former associate professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department; Ryan W. Klein, graduate assistant, Environmental Horticulture Department; Andrew K. Koeser, assistant professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center; Deborah R. Hilbert, graduate assistant, Environmental Horticulture Department, GCREC; and Drew C. McLean, biological scientist, Environmental Horticulture Department, GCREC; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office. U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Origin: native to southeast Asia, Australia, and the western Pacific Islands UF/IFAS Invasive Assessment Status: invasive and not recommended except for “specified and limited” use approved by the UF/IFAS Invasive Plant Working Group (North, Central, South) Uses: specimen; shade; deck or patio; highway median; street without sidewalk; tree lawn 4-6 feet wide; tree lawn > 6 ft wide; parking lot island 100-200 sq ft; parking lot island > 200 sq ft Figure 2. Range Figure 3. Leaf - Millettia pinnata: pongam Description Credits: UF/IFAS Flower Height: 30 to 40 feet Spread: 30 to 55 feet Flower color: white, pink, or lavender Crown uniformity: symmetrical Flower characteristics: somewhat fragrant; pea-like; Crown shape: round emerges in clusters on 5-10” long, lateral and terminal Crown density: dense racemes Growth rate: fast Flowering: spring to summer Texture: medium Fruit Foliage Fruit shape: oval to flat pod, with a curved and pointed tip Leaf arrangement: alternate Fruit length: 1 ¼ to 2 inches Leaf type: odd-pinnately compound; made up of 5-9 Fruit covering: dry or hard leaflets but most often 7 Fruit color: yellow to brown Leaf margin: entire Fruit characteristics: does not attract wildlife; showy; fruit/ Leaf shape: elliptic (oval) leaves a litter problem; indehiscent Leaf venation: pinnate Fruiting: fall to spring Leaf type and persistence: evergreen Leaf blade length: 6 to 8 inches; leaflets are 3 to 4 inches Trunk and Branches Leaf color: dark green and shiny on top, paler green Trunk/branches: branches droop; not showy; typically underneath multi-trunked; no thorns Fall color: no color change Bark: gray to brown and smooth or slightly roughened Fall characteristic: not showy Pruning requirement: needed for strong structure Breakage: resistant Current year twig color: green Current year twig thickness: thin Wood specific gravity: unknown Pongamia pinnata: Pongam 2 Figure 6. Bark - Millettia pinnata: pongam Credits: Gitta Hasing, UF/IFAS Figure 4. Flower - Millettia pinnata: pongam Soil salt tolerance: moderate to high Credits: UF/IFAS Aerosol salt tolerance: moderate to high Other Roots: not a problem Winter interest: no Outstanding tree: no Ozone sensitivity: unknown Verticillium wilt susceptibility: unknown Pest resistance: resistant to pests/diseases Use and Management Pongam should be grown in full sun or partial shade on well-drained soil. A relatively low-maintenance tree once established, pongam is resistant to high winds and drought but is susceptible to freezing temperatures below 30-degrees F. Pongam will show nutritional deficiencies if grown on soil with a pH above 7.5. Space major limbs along the trunk to increase the structural strength of the tree. Keep limbs less than two-thirds the Figure 5. Fruit - Millettia pinnata: pongam diameter of the trunk to help ensure that branches are well Credits: UF/IFAS secured to the tree. Culture Light requirement: full sun to partial shade Propagation is by seed. Soil tolerances: clay; sand; loam; slightly alkaline; acidic; well-drained Drought tolerance: high Pongamia pinnata: Pongam 3 Pests No pests are of major concern, but caterpillars occasionally cause some defoliation. Diseases No diseases are of major concern. Reference Koeser, A.K., Friedman, M.H., Hasing, G., Finley, H., Schelb, J. 2017. Trees: South Florida and the Keys. Univer- sity of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Pongamia pinnata: Pongam 4.